Whiny WaPo slop on wymynprystsssssss

More brilliance from WaPo‘s religious analysts on their usually bizarre religion blog.

This time they are coiled up with wymynprysssstsssssss….

My emphases and comments:

Faithfully, if not obediently, Catholic

By Katie BalestraSaturday, January 23, 2010; B02

Inside a red brick house in Falls Church, Bridget Mary Meehan placed a silver chalice of wine and a plate of flatbread on the coffee table in her living room and prepared to lead a sacred, forbidden ceremony. [Ooooo… how… dreamy!]

"As we gather around this table, this intimate little house church table, let us remember that God is raising us up, all of us," she said, smiling at the four worshipers who had come to hear her say Mass. [FOUR?]

Three and a half years ago, Meehan joined a group of Catholic women from across the United States known as the Roman Catholic Womenpriests — [not] ordained [through simulated ordinations] as bishops, priests and deacons, sometimes in secret ceremonies, against Vatican law. [And this writer wants to write about religion?] The first ceremony took place in 2002, when a renegade [woman non-]bishop [didn’t] ordained seven women in a boat on the Danube River near Passau, Germany. Most, if not all members, have been excommunicated.

The group, which has about 70 women, is one of several nationwide gaining support among U.S. Catholics as more of them begin to question the Vatican’s stance[again… this is person wants to write about religion?] on women’s role in the Church.

"Our goal is to bring about full equality of women in the Roman Catholic Church," said Meehan, 62. [If that were true, she would stop helping get excommunicated.] "We love the faith. We love the spirituality. [I suspect that uses that word rather along the lines of those who say, "Well… I’m not so sure about organized religion, but I’m really a very spiritual person."] That’s why we remain Catholic. We are holding disobedience to an unjust law that discriminates against women. [How do you "hold disobedience"? I suppose the laws of English pertain to her as much as she thinks God’s laws and those of Holy Church pertain.] We’re willing to go the whole mile with the institution on this." [The whole mile? Isn’t that suppose to be… I dunno… "the whole nine-yards" or "the extra mile"… am I wrong?]

The underground movement has a strong following in the Washington region.

Last year, Maureen Fiedler, host "Interfaith Voices" on WAMU (88.5), organized a fundraiser for her radio program with a special address by the Rev. Roy Bourgeois, a Catholic priest facing excommunication for attending a Womenpriests ordination. [A real winner, he.] In the packed audience was Louise Lears, 59, a nun who returned home to her 85-year-old mother in Baltimore in 2008 after the Archdiocese of St. Louis banished her for attending a Womenpriests ceremony. Other attendees included many of the women behind the Women’s Ordination Conference, a Washington-based pro-ordination group.

Bourgeois, a Vietnam War veteran, social justice advocate and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, [Hey! Rush Limbaugh was also a nominee!] has been trying to recruit other priests, many of whom agree with his position but fear excommunication. "I understand your fear about going public with this," he told them, "but you and I are card-carrying members of this all-boys club, and our silence simply sends the message very clearly that it’s okay to have women sit in the back of the Catholic bus." [Roy…. GET OUT. Get out NOW.]

Popular support

Erin Saiz Hanna, executive director of the Women’s Ordination Conference, talks excitedly about the demonstrations she helps organize. She has protested outside St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, wearing a T-shirt that says "Ordain Women" in nine languages. She was detained three times by Vatican police. She has started an online petition supporting women’s ordination to send to the Vatican. It has several thousand signatures. [This is risible. Being detained… ooooo… by the Vatican police… not just once but three times! Ooooo….!]

"I think that women themselves believe they should be ordained, that they’ve been called by God," said Hanna, from the organization’s office in Southeast Washington. "It’s not really the Vatican’s place to mess with that call." [?!? Deranged.]

The local activism is part of a larger shift in public opinion. In April, a Pew Research Center survey found that 39 percent of former Catholics now unaffiliated with a religion left the Church because they were unhappy with the treatment of women, among other concerns. [Among other concerns. Does the writer really think she can fool us into believing that 39 percent of the lapsed lapsed because women can’t be ordained?]

Lears, the nun from Baltimore, was supported by her family and members of her church. Shortly after being punished, she attended Mass at her local parish with her sister and mother. She was forbidden to take Communion, but her mother and sister decided to share their hosts with her. Other parishioners dropped pieces of their hosts into her hands. By the ritual’s end, her hands were full. [THAT’S a way to signify support? Sacrilegious abuse of the Blessed Sacrament?]

[…]

Katie Balestra is a freelance writer based in the District.

This whiny slop went on and on and on. That’s only about half.

There is already a church perfectly in harmony with their aspirations: the Anglican Church.

I suggest they all formalize their membership in the Anglican communion.

85 Responses to Whiny WaPo slop on wymynprystsssssss

Yet, they’re making inroads. Because liberals are willing to be ACTIVIST. Are willing to protest.

[Inroads? That lady had four people at her gig.]

Conservative and traditionalist Catholics seem to whine a lot, but then don’t do anything. Sometimes citing “obedience” but often times I suspect just laziness. There is nothing preventing traditionalists from, say, picketing against Communion in the Hand or having a Rosary Vigil against it outside a Cathedral. But we…don’t.

And we wonder why they get what they want and support, even though they are a minority. But they are a bold and vocal minority.

Like, ohmagosh, I like cannot believe how wrong this is! Women have rights too! Catholics don’t even value women! Like, we should start a facebook group because everyone knows how corrupt the Catholic Church is. You know what I mean? I totally think they have so much courage- know what I’m saying? Like, totally.

Scott W.:The “creepy puppets” may be from the “Chucky” series… you know, the doll that KILLS…haven’t ever seen them; heard about them; “Churchy Chucky” is scarier than any womyn-whatever…he(she)’s from the bowels of hell…maybe impersonating a womynpriest? Or doing her bidding???

I wonder when the WaPo decided on this story — after the health care deform bill started looking less likely, or were they saving it to coincide with the pro-life march? I suspect Katie wants to get some digs in.

Unfortunately, I have met some of these types. (Where I live, you name it, we got it.)

After I talked to them, I found that their “spirituality” was generally all over the map, composed of lots of New Age, some poorly understood Buddhism, pop psychology and a little dash of Wicca under their cloak of Catholicism. Although physically late middle age or older, most of these women struck me as quite young emotionally.

I had the same impression of the women involved in Wicca. The Wicca women I met seemed to be about 9 or 10 years old emotionally. Their involvement was not motivated so much by an interest in occult powers as in simply continuing to play a game of “Fairy Tale,” although now instead of pretending to be the fairy princess, they imagined themselves in the role of the seductive enchantress.

Melania: Not be playing “jr. psychologist” here; I have no degree or will have; but I think you are absolutely right, this is an emotional sickness/lack of development. I think it is due to this sick culture in which we live. There is so much of it, in whatever form out there. Only the grace of Christ, the sound teaching of our Holy Mother Church, and the loving fellowship of believers can help to heal this…I’m not being all “gooey” here but really, the lack of proper familial relationships and proper relationships (Friendship/Spouse/Religious Life/Priesthood) can make these people nuts. God help them!

This is just embarrassing. At least some of the early Anglican women trying to get ordained were actually serious in wanting to serve God, albeit they were tragically mistaken.

These geniuses, on the other hand, apparently wouldn’t know service if it rose up and bit them on their berobed butts. The priesthood is all about them, a little about showing up the hierarchy, and nothing at all about Jesus Christ.

And criminently, I don’t even know any Wiccans who would be feckless and disrespectful enough to perform rituals using a coffee table as an altar. Community theater groups would figure out something better. Truly, it boggles the mind. If you’re going to play like you’re a priest, at least play like you care about what you’re playing.

All day long I go about my business, at work, in the street, in the store. I’m surrounded by people, some of whom know the truth, some of whom don’t. These people don’t. They’re wandering around like dogs in the dark. The sad thing is that they’ve chosen this. Most people who don’t know aren’t that culpable.

I don’t know all the theological reasons or pretend to understand it all, but something deep, deep inside says this is simply wrong. To go up against the Vatican on such an issue that they have stated unequiovocally as wrong just seems an outright attack against the Catholic Church. There are many religions similiar that would cater to women Priests. But it is simply not Roman Catholic. Why are they trying to turn the Vatican and Holy Father inside out? It just seems brutal. Isn’t there enough on their plate. Why should the Vatican even entertain discussion on this when “they have the poor to take care of.” That last statement is made in jest because these same women Priests when probably discussing issues that conflict with their agenda would probably say this, or attack the Church from this angle. This in part stems from the idea that in 1965 with the close of the Council, everythng and anything is up for grabs and change. The Council, like it or not, courted disaster. It is hard to believe, even if we do not agree with all that the Faith demands not to know deep inside when something is wrong.. And women’s ordination in the Roman Catholic Faith is just that, wrong.

It’s amazing how a single heresy leads to a total breakdown of faith. Some people want priestesses, but it is NEVER a self-contained proposition. How many other dominoes fall when the first one is tipped over? The very next one has to be the indefectibility of the Church, the infallibility of the pope, and ultimately the freedom of Our Lord himself. In the end the clamour among these heretics for womyn prysts is a denial of the priesthood altogether. Do these “priestettes” care? Not a bit. In the end it’s about the raw exercise of power and a freedom that leads to slavery.

But of course, they can’t be bothered to (or are incapable of) seeing their heresy through to its logical conclusion. My aunt (and she’s not alone in my family) describes herself as far left. She’s incapable of seeing the Church in any terms other than “liberal v. conservative.” It’s incredible, sad, and frightening how an educated woman who grew up in the Faith could be so narrowminded and bigotted when it comes to these matters. I can pick apart what passes for her arguments but their is an obstinate refusal to even consider the thought that it is she who needs reform and not the Church’s magisterium. Dismantle her cliched whinings about women in the Church, and instead of responding she instantly switches to a new gripe, say, married clergy (which itself is an attempt to smuggle in womyn prysts by the distorted thinking that if we can make that change then certainly we can make any change).

As frustrating and infuriating as this can be, the slight hope I cling to for them is invincible ignorance. There’s certainly some form of ignorance going on with all these women. Don’t ever let the left tell you that liberalism is open-minded and tolerant. In my experience it is an assault on Reason itself.

Katie Balestra is a graduate student at Georgetown University studying investigative journalism. She is a fellow at the Center for the Pearl Project, a group of students working with professor Asra Nomani to find the truth behind the kidnapping and death of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. Balestra graduated summa cum laude in 2002 from Youngstown State University with a degree in journalism, where she was managing editor of the university newspaper, The Jambar. She also worked as a copy-editing intern at The Vindicator, the daily newspaper in Youngstown, Ohio. In 2002, she began working as a writer-editor for the federal government, where she has worked for the last six years.

“Don’t ever let the left tell you that liberalism is open-minded and tolerant. In my experience it is an assault on Reason itself.” –Thomas S.
You nailed it.
The most absolutely intolerant, authoritarian, prejudiced folks I have met and dealt with in my over thirty years in the Church as an adult fit this description. They have no idea what it would be like to be under an authoritarian regime (as in the Inquisition?) under Pope Benedict XVI…they’d be in the clink, on the rack, or in the fire…they should be grateful for such mercy, such patience, such leniency…in the hope to bring them back to the True Faith. But instead, they cry like little babies, suck their thumbs, and accuse everyone who is doing their job of being the “enemy”. Too bad.

Blah, blah, blah!
Father Z. is correct. We can trade the LCWR-friendly orders for the Anglicans who wish to jump the Tiber over to Rome anytime.

Why do they stay in? The only reason I can figure is for financial reasons. The tie to the Church guarantees their tax-exempt status and is a security blanket in that they can always say they are “Catholic institutions.” Infuriating and ridiculous.

To be “equal to men”: what a paltry goal. I submit that we are meant to have it better than men, and that it is a privilege to be a woman. Decades of feminism have unfortunately conditioned us to believe otherwise; we have sold our birthright for a mess of pottage. But as a woman, I will never be called upon to bear the kinds of responsibilities that a priest must bear, or make the kinds of sacrifices that he must make; yet I may nevertheless benefit from these sacrifices. And as women, we have the privilege of numbering among our sex the greatest person who ever lived after Jesus: His holy mother.

Irritating through it is that these nut cases get a media outlet to run a sympathetic story on them, in the final analysis these are sad and pathetic people who have lost their way. I would like to say to them: if the Church is so oppressive and evil, just LEAVE IT. Go to a denomination where your silly oversized sock puppets, your rainbow vesture, and your gender-neutral prayers will fit right in. Take the “social justice” nun crowd with you. JUST GO and not inflict yourselves on the rest of us.

A woman in our diocese is active in the WOC. She’s found via google leading prayer at these things. I came across her name from some of her typical feminist priestess pap in a letter to the local paper. She claims to be a theologian, but I’ve found no information as to her credentials or current employer. She is among the CTA crowd in our diocese who signed the “wait” petition. She identified herself as a priest on the petition. I suspect that the bishop must know about this woman. I wonder when he’ll take action. Yet, he’s pretty busy just trying to get the faithful to kneel before Our Lord.

I was also concerned to read that Sr. Lears, admonished by Abp. Burke in STL, was given communion from her mother and sister. Shocking disobedience. And that’s now in print. Dummies.

The headline was annoying as well. How can these women be faithful and disobedience on such a basic tenet?

JimGB: Exactly.
But if you read the comments on ncreporter.com, they don’t WANT to leave; it’s THEIR church…they want to change it “from within”…it’s liberation theology at its worst…or communism.
There is a very strong movement that (although aging) thinks if they just hold out long enough, they’ll get their “utopia”: women priests, homosex in all its various manifestations, contraception and abortion, “egalitarian” rule within the Church (whatever the heck that means!), on and on and on and on.
They’re not giving up, my friend. But God’s Truth and Will is going to outlast all this.

*This whiny slop went on and on and on. That’s only about half.
There is already a church perfectly in harmony with their aspirations: the Anglican Church.
I suggest they all formalize their membership in the Anglican communion.
They will have some open places pretty soon.*

All very true, Father. On the one hand, they are a bunch of unrealistic hens searching for some meaning in meaningless ritual. On the other hand, they believe they have something to offer the world, ala, the 1970’s. It’s actually amazing to think they are still caught in that mind-set. But, really, they are silent voices in a listless wind, soon to die out.

I might pray for them, except that I am consumed praying for the truly needy: those in Haiti, who are true Catholic souls in true peril…

Gosh, I wish we had $800,000 to work with (read the article…disgusting)…maybe we could actually move into our priory, make needed renovations to the Oratory where we celebrate the Extraordinary Form regularly…And this money, rather than promote the love and adoration of the Lord in His Catholic Church is being used to…what? Blaspheme? Lead others astray? Continue to the work of the Evil One?

We’ve got one of these womenpriestesssss groups here in Santa Barbara. The womenpriestess leader also lives with a nun. There two “ordained deacons”. One is the former top layman at the SB Mission and has a PhD from Barry U. She is ready to be “ordained”. The other deacon is a man who was one of the extraordinary ministers at the missions. They are freaks even here in Santa Barbara and that’s quite an accomplishment. Pitiful.

Let us assume for a second the absurd and impossible (insofar at least as Rome has settled the question), that women could be ordained. Still, who does the calling in a vocation? Is it just Jesus, me and maybe the bible if I don’t think it too archaic and oppressive?

In the rite of ordination, the Church actually examines, calls and chooses the men to be ordained. In the old rite at least the archdeacon called forth those to be ordained

St. Thomas makes the point that aside from discerning impediments (whether physical, prior obligations etc) the main element of discernment to whether you have a vocation is the judgment of the superior…whether it be the bishop in ordination, or the mother superior of a convent. Taking counsel from those in the religious state and submitting to the judgement of those invested with authority by the Church are a major criterion to whether you are actually being called

I’m sure we remember the infamous WCCTA ‘mass’ that featured, among other liturgical butcherings, life size paper mache puppets. I recall someone also posting pictures of giant, identically designed puppets in Seatle.

Sometimes felt banners are lumped together with these puppets. While homemade felt banners really shouldn’t be in a Church, except on very rare occassions, I have seen wonderful art done with felt. Beautiful depictions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a chalice and Host, etc.

These paper mache puppet always look the same and always look downright scarey.

I have to ask, Why do these puppets have the same creepy look? Is this not satan entering the Church as warned of at Akita and Fatima?

Does Central Casting have a category for “angry dissident ‘Catholic’ feminist?”
They all seem to look the same.
But the most interesting thing about this and similar media coverage of this alleged movement, is that the protagonists are all Women of a Certain Age, accompanied by the token Understanding Priest (who is also of a Certain Age).
Where are all of the angry young women? With all of their angry little children? And the recently ordained sympathetic priests?
This movement has no future.

Oneros Conservative and traditionalist Catholics seem to whine a lot, but then don’t do anything
….

Not sure how you can say that. Ever seen what the KofC does? How about groups which didn’t roll over when the liberals tried to expunge the EF? How do you think Ecclesia Dei and the FSSP and everything that led up to the Motu Propio came about?

1. I suspect she holds the laws and rules of English in higher esteem, because to do otherwise she’d just appear uneducated.
2. I thought Bourgeois was excommunicated several months ago. This article implies he is facing that sanction, not already under it.

Sometimes, of course, “truth is stranger than fiction,” in that the Episcopal Church has, in fact, already cast aside the “specious restraint” that Mr. Penn (a convert to the Catholic Church from Episcopalianism) imagined in his article. that it would practice on the subject of “homosexual marriages.”

Ezekiel 36:24-28 I will take you away from among the nations, gather you from all foreign lands, and bring you back to your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your IDOLS I will cleanse you. I will give you a NEW HEART and place a NEW SPIRIT within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put MY SPIRIT within you, and make you live by MY STATUTES, careful to observe MY DECREES. You shall live in the land I gave your fathers; you shall be my people, and I will be YOUR GOD.

It’s similar to the rage of high school Veganism, sitting in threatened redwood trees, saving baby Harp seals, talking to one’s plants, and adopting one’s cat as a person. Rather than promote the “cause” it signals the fatuousness of the Washington Post. In forty years, we will look at this as we do today at Nehru jackets and cute Hyannis Port accents.

There is already a church perfectly in harmony with their aspirations: the Anglican Church. I suggest they all formalize their membership in the Anglican communion.

I made a similar suggestion last week to a “Black Franciscan” (OFM Conv.) who said all the priests he knew would openly defy the Holy See and not use the new Missal prayer translations when they were promulgated. He also said out loud that he hoped the American Bishops would do the same, saying, “what would Rome do about it anyways?”

When I suggested he consider the Episcopal Church, he told me “that’s a rather self-righteous answer.”

What puzzles me is just how it can be that I, together with many friends and acquaintances, struggle daily to live in conformity with the teachings of the Church, while others like this OFM Conv., and these wymynprysts mark it a virtue to be dissenters, seeking at every turn to find the thin spots in their consciences where they feel they can break the rules while pouring scorn on us.

Women like these, as well as hard core feminists like the late Mary Daly and Sr. Joan Chittister, have either forgotten or never learned what the priesthood — and even, to some extent, the “headship” of the husband within marriage and other forms of what they would consider patriarchal male dominance — is really all about. Sadly, many men don’t get it either. But someone who wasn’t even Catholic — C.S. Lewis in “The Four Loves” — did “get it.”

In “Four Loves” Lewis wrote that the husband was the “head” of the wife in the same way that Christ was the head of the Church — which meant that he was called to put her good before his, to suffer and even die for her if necessary, to a “headship” best expressed not in enjoying the privileges of being boss but in his sufferings and sacrifices for her, “in his unwearying (never paraded) care or inexhaustible forgiveness; forgiveness, not acquiescence.”

Lewis concluded that “the sternest feminist need not grudge my sex the crown offered to it in either the Pagan or the Christian mystery; for the one is of paper and the other of thorns.” (The “Pagan mystery” refers to the natural dominance or aggressiveness of men in sexual pursuits and other areas of life.)

Now while these passages were written in relation to marriage I think they could also be applied to the priesthood, since the priest is also called to be an alter Christus, is in essence “married” to the Church (of his religious order or diocese) and is called to bear the same “crown of thorns” as Christ did. The priesthood is NOT some kind of exclusive good ole boys club (even if, sadly, some clergy act as if it is), or affirmative action program, or a means to get even with “the Man” for centuries of oppression, or a way to enhance one’s resume or enjoy the perks and privileges of office. It’s a “crown of thorns” that most women (and most men, for that matter) would probably rather not have.

Irishgirl They won’t leave b/c they are after the assets. It’s tough to raise funds for your own church.

In my hometown, a break away church started over juridicational issues; the Polish National Catholic Church. Made up of miners and other laborers, in the late 1800s they built their own church literally around the corner from the RC Church.

I’ll give them this (and the PNCC is being reconciled w/ the RCC), they walked the walk, too.

“What puzzles me is just how it can be that I, together with many friends and acquaintances, struggle daily to live in conformity with the teachings of the Church, while others like this OFM Conv., and these wymynprysts mark it a virtue to be dissenters, seeking at every turn to find the thin spots in their consciences where they feel they can break the rules while pouring scorn on us.”

Puzzles you, David? These people are Satan’s minions. What we’re seeing here is the Devil at work. Oppose him! Vigorously, loudly and publicly. Condemn his minions to their face, call them out and demand they stop calling themselves Catholics.

There already *is* a feminine priesthood. It’s called motherhood (whether physical and spiritual in the case of married women or spiritual in the case of religious women). Matrimony literally is the Office of the Mother. Everything is set up in marriage for the mother to offer her entire self – body, heart, mind, and soul for the rearing, education, and salvation of her family.

To dance around in the sanctuary is a defilement not only of the Litrugy, but of the woman herself. A true feminist would understand the dignity of the pew for the purpose of taking what is received in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and bringing it out into the world and into the home.

The role is receptivity and sacrifice for the other. Not self-aggrandizement. But never never think the role of motherhood is something less than the role of a priest. There is a spiritual complementarity.

Magpie: just a cursory glance at that site gave me two causes for concern: 1 – it states that smoking is a sin (the Church does not teach this at all) and 2 – it talks about extensively using dream interpretation which is forbidden in the Bible. So while the site may be run by Catholics, they are obviously tainted by the modern changes in the Church.

I used to play priest as a boy, but it din’t make me one. The difference between what I did then and what these ladies are doing now is that my actions were motivated by the utmost respect for the Mass and the priesthood. I had no political or destructive motivations. We should pray for these ladies conversions to Catholicism. Tom

By contrast, look at weekday Mass yesterday in Haiti. They didn’t have much, but what they have is presented spotlessly and in good order. Even without having most of the vestments he should have, the priest clothes himself in reverence. And the women attending at Mass have all the dignity in the world, unlike these supposedly empowered wymynpreysts.

Just this week, two non-Catholic Christian people I am acquainted with, upon hearing that I’m studying for a Masters degree in Biblical Theology, blurted out, “Oh, you can become a priest! It looks closer to being possible than ever before.” I was shocked! Where did they ever get that idea? They must be receiving their information from the drivel at the WaPo. While I didn’t deeply delve into the theology of why I could never be a priest, I did fully explain to them that I was happy to be a true Catholic mother who doesn’t want to be a priest but is training two sons to follow to God’s will and to discern whether He is calling them into the priesthood or another vocation.

Though, the next time someone suggests that I can become a priest, the gloves will be off and I will come out swinging with all the facts and theology which prove they are wrong…charitably, of course.

I find it funny that these people say that they want ‘full equality for women in the Catholic Church’ DUH unless they badly flunked catechism class they should realise that our Blessed Mother is QUEEN OF HEAVEN!!! and no matter how Holy we men become we’re never gonna match up with the Immaculate Mother.

I couldn’t help thinking of these confused women, tonight at Mass. They are perfectly good feet who are wasting all their gifts on yearning to be hands, insisting that unless they are declared hands that they can’t be part of the Body.

Personally, I find my foothood to be both interesting and challenging. Why are they trying so hard to devalue my gifts and their own? Who do they think they’re going to impress?

We should have more compassion toward these poor, misguided women, at least some of whom do not have all their bricks in place. If they really know what they are doing their destiny cannot be but Hell.

Ferde: Thanks. Isn’t it interesting that “inclusion”, “openness”, and “tolerance” means absolute moral anarchy? Not to mention the liturgical abuses.
The meaning of “liberal” does not in any way include these folks. They are ideologues…pure and simple. They want something that is just not according to God’s will.
And thanks for the comment on the “funny” comment…I was not being antagonistic; just curious.
And I agree; this is just hilarious (if you can get past the rest of the junk!). Blessings!

Are you sure this isn’t some bizarre Easter Island ceremony? Those giant puppet heads must be images of something… either the heads of Easter Island or maybe they’re just images of their inflated egos, which is, in the end, what they’re really worshipping.

“I suggest they all formalize their membership in the Anglican communion.

They will have some open places pretty soon.”

But the wymynprystyssys don’t want to take a REDUCTION in Average Sunday Attendance!

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Marc in Eugene: ‘If you have the slightest doubt̵ 7;. Well, are there prelates who are programmat ically going to avoid having any doubts at all about prospectiv e homosexual candidates ?...

Malta: It seems he contradict s himself to some degree on the issue of homosexual ity (cf: http://the week.com/a rticles/77 4517/pope- francis-cu nning-long -game) But I think this is a good...

Kevin: My issue with the various Bishop Conference s is we will have the Germans allowing Communion for protestant spouses 230;we have the Bishops from Malta allowing communion for irregu...

TonyO: We Jesuits always have to remember that most Catholics are not Jesuits — a fact we tend to overlook sometimes. Our spirituali ty is not for everyone — perhaps hard to say, but so true. Oh,...

Grant M: Ah those intransige nt trads. Unwilling to exchange the seasons of Epiphany, Septuagesi ma and Pentecost for the poetry of Ordinary Time, A, B and C. Still maybe Pope Paul had a Cunning...

rcg: Of course this a good thing. But it is going to be the focus of state sponsored attacks on the Church and will probably, and unfortunat ely, be quite effective.

Julia_Augusta: Is that the ReaderR 17;s Guide to Augustine& #8217;s City of God by Gerard O’Da ly? Is it worth buying if one is going to read City of God? [It is helpful!] US HERE –...

TonyO: Well, with regard to the investment advice, it is a bit hard to lay the accusation of defrauding widows and orphans against Card. Rodriguez Maradiaga, for it was not he who defrauded her,...

JonPatrick: Although many cities have experience d decline, Detroit is somewhat of a special case being dependent on the auto industry. Initially it was very prosperous which attracted immigra...

JonPatrick: Hmm, a downturn in vocations. Would it be worth looking into those places in the Church where vocations are flourishin g and seminaries are bursting at the seams? Like the traditiona l...

Traductora: Francis has already said that he plans to set things up in such a way that they cannot be reversed (in other words, there can be no Summorum Pontificum of the future). He’s also appoi...

roma247: And who should have the answer to our tears of confusion and frustratio n as we watch this painful disintegra tion, but our good Mother in Heaven, Mary? Look at her in the Pieta: she...

dholwell: We constantly pray for vocations, and for our priests and bishops.

teomatteo: My thought on the pope’ ;s vision is pretty simple: he’l l move the Church closer to the Orthodox and the next pope and the next and say in 2065 we can sign a statement of...

TonyO: Pope Francis is 82 next Dec. He doesn’t have time. He himself admits it. That means he has not enough time to change the shape of the electorate ; It may be true – or, more proba...

Charles E Flynn: There is a cable TV show called “Ame rican Greed̶ 1;, narrated by Stacy Keach. I wonder if there is a narrator suitable for “Hon duran Greed̶ 1;.

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Let us pray…

Grant unto thy Church, we beseech
Thee, O merciful God, that She, being
gathered together by the Holy Ghost, may
be in no wise troubled by attack from her
foes.
O God, who by sin art offended and by
penance pacified, mercifully regard the
prayers of Thy people making supplication
unto Thee,and turn away the scourges of
Thine anger which we deserve for our sins.
Almighty and Everlasting God, in
whose Hand are the power and the
government of every realm: look down upon
and help the Christian people that the heathen
nations who trust in the fierceness of their
own might may be crushed by the power of
thine Arm. Through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee
in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world
without end. R. Amen.

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“And how we burned in the camps later, thinking: What would things have been like if every Security operative, when he went out at night to make an arrest, had been uncertain whether he would return alive and had to say good-bye to his family? Or if, during periods of mass arrests, as for example in Leningrad, when they arrested a quarter of the entire city, people had not simply sat there in their lairs, paling with terror at every bang of the downstairs door and at every step on the staircase, but had understood they had nothing left to lose and had boldly set up in the downstairs hall an ambush of half a dozen people with axes, hammers, pokers, or whatever else was at hand?... The Organs would very quickly have suffered a shortage of officers and transport and, notwithstanding all of Stalin's thirst, the cursed machine would have ground to a halt! If...if...We didn't love freedom enough. And even more – we had no awareness of the real situation.... We purely and simply deserved everything that happened afterward.”

What people say about Fr. Z

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Rev. John Zuhlsdorf, a scrappy blogger popular with the Catholic right.
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The opinions expressed on this blog do not necessarily reflect the positions of any of the Catholic Church's entities with which I am involved. They are my own. Opinions expressed by commentators in the comments belong to the commentators.